A Convenient Proposal
by RFK
Summary: : Rafe returns to Hawaii after burying Danny in Tennessee and asks Evelyn a very important question.
1. Chapter 1 - The Proposal

A CONVENIENT PROPOSAL  
  
TITLE: "A Convenient Proposal"  
AUTHOR: Jean Griffin/RFK  
CODE: Rafe/Evelyn  
RATING: PG-13  
E-MAIL: june_daley@rocketmail.com  
FEEDBACK: Please feel free to send a little feedback. Please, no flames.  
SUMMARY: Rafe returns to Hawaii after burying Danny in Tennessee and asks Evelyn a very important question.   
DISCLAIMER: Yadda, yadda, yadda! All characters pertaining to the motion picture, "Pearl Harbor", belong to Jerry Bruckheimer, Michael Bay, Randall Wallace and the Walt Disney Company . . . unfortunately.  
  
NOTE: Following Danny's death, I've always wondered how Rafe and Evelyn managed to resolve their problems and become the happily married couple shown at the end of the movie.   
  
"A CONVENIENT PROPOSAL"  
  
  
PART 1 - The Proposal  
  
Talk about déjà vu. Evelyn Johnson stood near a gate at Hickham Field and watched a B-25 aircraft circle over the runway. Her hand gently pressed against her swollen belly, as she sighed.  
  
Just nearly a month ago, she had stood at this very same spot, awaiting the arrival of the Doolittle Raid pilots who had returned from China. Evelyn recalled feeling a surge of happiness at the sight of one Rafe McCawley descending from another plane. That happiness had soon transformed into dread when Rafe failed to return her smile. And when the other surviving pilots left the plane, carrying a coffin, Evelyn's dread became grief. Draped over the coffin was Danny's flight jacket.  
  
Danny Walker. A wave of grief washed over Evelyn. Along with guilt. She had been carrying his child for nearly seven months. Ever since that evening inside the hangar, following a flight over Oahu. Evelyn considered that evening a magical time for her. Without it and other times with Danny, she would have never recovered from her heart-wrenching grief that had threatened to consume her, following news of Rafe's "death" over the English Channel. Yet, Rafe did returned and Evelyn's happiness soon became chaos.  
  
The B-25 straightened out as it glided over the runway. The wheels extended and the plane finally touched down. Evelyn held her breath as it rolled to a stop. A minute passed before the plane's doors swung open. Four Army officers - two men and two women descended the stairway. A fifth figure appeared in the plane's doorway. Rafe.  
  
Evelyn let out a gust of breath. Her heartbeat increased ten times its normal pace. A warm flush ignited her skin. Even after all that has happened between them in the past year-and-a-half, Rafe's presence still managed to affect her, since that first moment their eyes met back in New York.  
  
Brown eyes scoured the airfield, until they rested upon Evelyn. An invisible electricity crackled in the air. Evelyn longed to run toward Rafe and throw her arms around him. Unfortunately, her bulky form made that impossible. Instead, she waved. Rafe returned her wave with a smile. A rather dim one, in Evelyn's opinion.  
  
With one hand holding his overnight bag and the other, clenching his Army jacket, the Tennessee pilot strode toward Evelyn. "Hey," he greeted quietly.  
  
Evelyn replied in an equally quiet voice, "Hey, yourself." She reached out to touch his arm. Rafe did not flinch from her touch. Nor did he seem to welcome it, either. His reaction disturbed Evelyn. To cover her feelings, her smile widened before she added, "Welcome back."  
  
"Thanks." Rafe glanced around the field. "Where's Red and Gooz? I had sent them a telegram to pick me up."  
  
"Yeah, Red told me. I asked him to let me pick you up, instead."  
  
A slight frown crinkled Rafe's forehead. "Why?" he asked.  
  
Doubt crept into Evelyn's heart. She began to wonder if he still felt the same for her after all that has happened between them. They had went through so much lately - eleven months apart, her romance with Danny, Rafe's return, the pregnancy, the attack at Pearl, her decision to marry Danny, the latter's death in China. It was a wonder that they managed to carry on a conversation.  
  
Rafe repeated his question. "Why couldn't Red pick me up? I mean, considering your condition . . ."  
  
An answer failed to reach the tip of Evelyn's tongue. What could she say? That the last time Rafe was in Hawaii, grief over Danny's death and the preparations for the burial in Tennessee kept them apart? That she longed to see him again? Remain longer than five minutes in his presence? Evelyn found herself unable to confess her true feelings to Rafe. Fear of rejection or outright laughter prevented her.  
  
Evelyn finally replied, "I asked Red and Gooz to let me pick you up." She gave her shoulders a shrug. "I just wanted to welcome you back." The moment those words left her mouth, Evelyn regretted them. Her heart lurched as disappointment and confusion mingled in Rafe's brown eyes. My God! How lame that sounds!  
  
* * * *   
  
Rafe found himself in mental turmoil. That's it? She just wanted to welcome me back? What about I miss you? Or I love you?   
  
He mentally castigated himself. What in the hell did he expect,? An outburst of emotion? Hell, neither he or Evelyn have exchanged a word of love since she informed him of her plans to marry Danny right after the Pearl Harbor attack. Looking at her round belly reminded Rafe of that terrible moment at the motel court. When he learned that Evelyn was pregnant with Danny's child, Rafe realized that he had lost her for good.  
  
"Shall we go?" Evelyn said, interrupting Rafe's thoughts. He stared at her dark eyes. Eyes that merely reflected friendly curiosity. Rafe let out a sigh and followed her away from the airfield.  
  
The couple walked slowly - thanks to Evelyn's pregnancy - to a parked car, a 1937 black Buick convertible. Danny's car. Rafe spotted the bullet holes left by Japanese Zeroes on that unforgettable morning, over six months ago. A frown creased his brow, as he halted in his tracks. "I didn't realize you had Danny's car."  
  
Evelyn's face turned pink. "Danny gave it to me, just before the both of you left for California. You know, when you reported to Colonel Doolittle. After he died . . . well, you and I never really saw much of each other and I found out that Danny left the car to me in a will." She paused, as the pink in her cheeks deepened. "It helped me get around easier. But you can have it, if you want." A slight wariness crept into her eyes.  
  
"That's okay," Rafe murmured. "Danny wanted you to have the car. You should keep it."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Rafe added, "But I wouldn't mind using it every now and then. At least until I'm sent overseas."  
  
A brief, sad smile touched Evelyn's lips. "Hmmm, overseas. I forgot about that. But since you're here," she handed Rafe a set of keys, "you can drive." Evelyn's smile broadened. Looking at it warmed Rafe's own heart and he smiled back. Forever the Southern gentleman, he escorted Evelyn to the convertible's passenger side and helped her climb in. She murmured a quiet "thank you" before he climbed into the driver's seat.  
  
Within a matter of minutes, the Buick was speeding along the Hawaiian countryside. Evelyn instructed Rafe to drive toward a quiet, residential area near the beach, instead of the hospital base at Pearl. When her pregnancy had begun to show, she decided to rent a bungalow near the beach. "I would have rented a smaller house, but the girls decided they had enough of the base and moved in with me." Rafe assumed the girls were Barbara, Sandra and Martha.  
  
Evelyn continued with a detailed description of the bungalow. Rafe barely heard a word. Not even the lush, tropical countryside could grab his attention. His mind focused on the road ahead . . . and past memories.  
  
Hearing Evelyn's voice, seeing her smile and her pregnant state, produced a stream of regrets within Rafe. There seemed to be so many "if onlys" to choose. If only he had never volunteered to serve in the RAF's Eagle Squadron. If only he had more than a month with Evelyn before leaving the States for England. If only he had not been shot down over the English Channel. And if only he had returned to Evelyn before she could recover her grief with Danny. What Rafe regretted the most was the death of his best friend - the only man he had ever regarded as a brother.   
  
"Penny for your thoughts," a soft voice said, interrupting Rafe's musings.  
  
He blinked and shot a quick glance at his companion. "Huh? What did you say?"  
  
"I was describing the bungalow," Evelyn continued. "Yet, somehow I got the feeling that your mind was on something else."  
  
Rafe gave a nervous cough. "What made you think that?"  
  
"You just passed the road that leads to my house. Even after I told you to turn."  
  
Embarrassed over his mistake, Rafe immediately made a U-turn. He then made a right turn on a small road and the convertible eventually came upon a one-story bungalow built out of whitewashed clapboards. "Well, here we are." Rafe announced after he stopped the car and turned off the engine. "Home."  
  
The sounds of palm fronds rustling in the wind and waves beating against the shore filled the silence between the couple inside the Buick. Rafe would usually enjoy the shared silence with Evelyn. But not today. In fact, he wondered if he would ever learn to enjoy Evelyn's company again. But he had to. Especially after what he had promised his dying friend back in that rice paddy in China.   
  
"Would like to come in for a cup of coffee or another drink?" Evelyn asked, breaking the silence before Rafe could.  
  
Rafe felt his palms grow moist. God, this was difficult!  
  
"Rafe?" Evelyn continued. "Did you hear me? Is everything okay?"  
  
The pilot nodded. "Yeah. Everything's swell. Just swell."  
  
Evelyn frowned. "Are you sure? You seem rather quiet." Despite her seemingly calm voice, Rafe thought he had detected a hint of nervousness.   
  
"Don't worry. I'm fine. I just . . ."  
  
"Just what?" Evelyn added.  
  
A heavy sigh escaped Rafe's mouth. Memories of the past six months began to assault his mind. His arrival in Hawaii. Evelyn's reaction to his appearance at the hospital at Pearl. Danny's reaction. The fight at the Hula-La Bar. The Japanese attack, the following morning. Evelyn's revelation of her pregnancy. His talk with Danny on that California beach. The raid on Tokyo. Danny's death. Rafe sighed one last time. He might as well get it over with.  
  
Rafe reached into the backseat for his jacket. "Uh, Evelyn," he began. "I have . . . well, I have something to ask you."  
  
"Yes?" Dark eyes grew round.  
  
A lump rose in Rafe's throat. He had not felt this nervous since that last night in New York City, when he said good-bye to Evelyn. Rafe reached inside one of the jacket pockets for a small, dark blue velvet case. "I . . . uh . . . hell!"  
  
Evelyn's eyes fell upon the case. "Is that what I think that is?" Her voice projected muted emotion.  
  
Rafe snapped open the case, revealing a small silver ring with a cluster of diamonds surrounding a small sapphire gem. A gasp escaped Evelyn's lips. Rafe had purchased the ring at a jewelry store in Washington D.C.   
  
"Evelyn," he continued, staring into her dark eyes, "would you marry me?" Before she could answer, Rafe continued, "I realize you had expected to marry Danny, but with him gone and you expecting a baby . . . well, I'll be more than happy to take his place."  
  
Evelyn's eyes widened. "You will?" she whispered.  
  
"Of course." Rafe blinked at her unexpected response. Because I love you, he silently wanted to say. However, fear and pride prevented him from expressing his true feelings. Instead, he added, "Danny was like a brother to me. He would have wanted me to take care of you and the baby. And I swear, Evelyn, I'll do just that."  
  
Rafe sat back into his seat, expecting a sign of approval from Evelyn. Instead, he found himself staring into a pair of very dark and angry eyes. Eyes that glared at him. Confusion whirled inside his brain. Why on earth was she angry? "Evelyn? What's wrong?" he asked.  
  
"Wrong?" Evelyn replied in a soft and deadly voice. Rafe felt even more confused when she opened the door and began to climb out of the car. Her large girth made it difficult, but she managed to get out before Rafe had the chance to help her. Then she marched toward the bungalow.  
  
"Evelyn? Evelyn! What's wrong?" Rafe cried as he rushed after her. It amazed him how a pregnant woman could move so fast. "Evelyn! Wait a minute! I just asked you to marry me!"  
  
Evelyn reached the bungalow and inserted a key into the front door. Then she whirled upon him, her eyes flashing. "C'mon Evelyn," Rafe begged. "Talk to me! Dammit, I just proposed to you and now you're acting as if I had sullied your name!"  
  
"You sullied a lot more!" Evelyn snapped, as she opened the door. "And by the way, you call that a proposal? As far as I'm concerned, Rafe McCawley, you know what you can do with your proposal! And where you can shove it!" She stepped inside the house and slammed the door on the face of a very bewildered pilot.  
  
END OF PART 1 


	2. Chapter 2 - Revelations

"A CONVENIENT PROPOSAL"  
  
  
PART 2 - Revelations  
  
Evelyn leaned against the door, closed her eyes and sighed. Her body trembled from the furious outburst she had unleashed upon Rafe. Thoughts of the Army pilot produced another swell of anger. How could he possibly think she would accept such a proposal? Or think she would marry him out of convenience?  
  
Well, you were prepared to do the same with Danny, weren't you? Evelyn immediately balked at her inner voice. She tried to convince herself that Danny was another matter. Or that Danny would have never proposed to her out of mere convenience. You would have accepted his proposal for that very same reason. Who are you to castigate Rafe? Evelyn ruthlessly squelched her last thoughts and started for her bedroom. She was in no mood to feel guilty over her temper outburst at Rafe. Not when she had other guilty feelings to deal with.  
  
A voice from the kitchen cried out, "Evelyn? Is that you?" Martha. She and the other nurses must have returned from the base at Pearl. "Hey, Evelyn!"  
  
Evelyn turned toward the kitchen, where she found her three roommates and a fourth nurse, sitting around the table eating sandwiches. "Hi," she greeted the quartet. "I thought you guys would still be at the hospital. Especially with so many wounded still coming in from Midway."  
  
Over two weeks had passed since the June 4th battle between the U.S. and Japanese naval forces near Midway Island. While the country celebrated its first major victory against Japan, many American military hospitals, including the one at Pearl, had to deal with the sudden influx of wounded sailors and pilots.  
  
The blond and sharp-tongued Barbara stifled a yawn, as she reached for a pot of coffee. "You've been gone too long. Our shift had ended over a half-hour ago, thank goodness. It seemed as if we've been living at that damn hospital for nearly two weeks, now."  
  
"How is Rafe?" Sandra asked. The pretty, red-haired nurse removed her glasses. "Did his plane arrive on time?"  
  
The mention of Rafe's name brought upon an unexpected wave of anger and sadness within Evelyn. She immediately squashed it and eased her bulky form into an empty chair. "Yeah, Rafe arrived. And right on time." Her reply drew stares from the other nurses. Evelyn realized that she must have sounded curt.  
  
The oldest of the Navy nurses who shared Evelyn's bungalow, reached over the latter's shoulder for a sandwich. Like Barbara, Martha was a working-class young woman from the East Coast, who had developed a sharp tongue after years of dealing with life's disappointments. However, unlike Barbara, she had dark hair, a pleasant face and weighed several extra pounds.  
  
"Hey kiddo," Martha began. "Is there something wrong? For a moment there, I thought you were gonna bite off Sandra's head." She gave Evelyn a shrewd look. "Something happened between you and Rafe?"  
  
Evelyn blinked. Good old Martha. Never one to pull a punch. "No," replied curtly. "Everything's fine." Evelyn bit her tongue the moment she spoke. Again, she had responded a lot more sharply than she had intended. For once she wished she would think before opening her mouth.  
  
"Everything's fine, huh?" One of Martha's dark brows cocked upward. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were pissed at him." Her use of profanity drew gasps from Sandra and fourth nurse, whose name escaped had escaped Evelyn's memory. "For crying out loud, you two! Grow up!"  
  
Barbara added, "She's right. It's 1942 and there's a war going on. Besides, you've heard worse in the hospital. Geez!"  
  
Grateful for the distraction, Evelyn smiled and reached for the coffee pot. The fourth nurse, whose name Evelyn now remembered as Connie, reached it first and filled an empty cup with coffee. She handed the cup to Evelyn, who thanked her.  
  
"Pardon me," Sandra retorted in her usual supercilious manner, "but not all of us are that worldly. My mother had raised me to be a lady. So, if you don't mind . . ."  
  
The exhaustion on Barbara's face immediately vanished. She now looked as if she was ready to establish her own battleground. "A lady?" She snorted with derision. "Get her! I suppose you're trying to say that the rest of us 'worldly minions' aren't ladies?"  
  
Sandra's eyes blazed with anger. "You're twisting my words! All I'm trying to say is . . ."  
  
"Hey!" Martha's outburst interrupted the verbal battle. "You two can go at each other's throats another time. Right now, I'm more interested in Evelyn!" She faced the pregnant woman. "Well? Did Rafe say something to upset you?"  
  
With four pairs of eyes riveted upon her, Evelyn realized she could no longer dodge the issue. Damn! If only Barbara and Sandra's fight had lasted a little longer. Might as well tell the truth. Or the girls will hound her until she does.  
  
Evelyn cleared her throat. "If you must know," she began in a shaky voice, "Rafe had asked me to marry him."  
  
* * * *   
  
The moment Evelyn slammed the door in his face, Rafe found himself frozen on the spot. Her actions had taken him by surprise. He had been certain that she would accept his marriage proposal.  
  
Once the shock wore off, he felt an urge to bang on the door. Demand why she had rejected him. Yet, a mixture of uncertainty and fear prevented him. Nor did Rafe want to attract any unwanted attention, in case Evelyn's other roommates happened to be inside the house. He leaned his forehead against the door, hoping that somehow, she would read his thoughts. When that hope vanished, Rafe heaved a deep sigh and returned to the Buick.  
  
He drove all the way back to Hickam Field and the new barracks that now housed the Army's pilots. When Rafe had first arrived in Hawaii over six months ago, he found himself homeless. He had arrived on a Friday night and most of the base's personnel, including the Quartermaster, had disappeared for the weekend and Rafe ended up at a local motel. Upon his return from the Tokyo raid, he had better luck and was housed with the rest of the pilots in new quarters.  
  
After a twenty minute drive, Hickam Field loomed ahead. Upon arriving at his new quarters, Rafe found a noted taped to the door:  
  
"Rafe,  
  
Welcome back. Meet us at the Hula-La.  
  
Red"  
  
The Hula-La. The bar brought back memories of that last evening of peace, when Rafe had drank himself silly before getting into a fight with Danny. He even recalled seeing his own photograph on the wall behind the bar. Scrawled above were the words - KILLED IN ACTION. Rafe could only assume that his photo had been replaced with those of Danny, Anthony and other pilots who had recently died. He did not look forward to seeing Danny's picture on that wall. Then again, he was not in the mood to spend a lonely evening by himself.  
  
With a sigh, he entered his quarters, took a shower, changed into civies and after climbing back into the Buick, drove toward the pilots' favorite bar. Rafe parked the convertible in front of a gazebo, topped by a thatched roof. Oriental and Polynesian knickknacks decorated the bar's interior and large statue of a Hawaiian girl in a hula skirt rose above the structure. He could hear strains of the Andrews Sisters singing "Rum and Coca-Cola", as he entered the bar.  
  
"Rafe!" "Hey! Look who's here!" "How was the mainland, Rafe?" The young captain smiled, as his fellow pilots cried out to greet him. His eyes fell upon the photographs pinned to the wall behind the Hawaiian bartender. Sure enough, there photos of those who had either been killed during the Pearl Harbor attack last December, or during the Doolittle Raid. Rafe recognized several among them - Billy, Anthony and Danny. His smile disappeared.  
  
Everyone's favorite red-haired pilot strode forward and slapped Rafe's shoulder. "Welcome back, Rafe. Glad to see you." There seemed to be no hint of his usual stutter.  
  
"Thanks Red, "Rafe murmured. The pair joined the others at the bar. "Hey, everyone. What's buzzing?"  
  
Gooz replied in his usual laconic manner, "Nothin much. We just came back from another patrol. I guess you heard about Midway."  
  
"Who hasn't these days? That's all everyone was talking about, while I was back home." Rafe grew silent. Again, his eyes shifted toward the photographs.  
  
One pilot said, "Man, I would have loved to have been in that action. Midway!" His eyes gleamed with exultation. "Get another shot at the Japs after that Tokyo raid." Rafe and several other pilots stared at him. He was onen of the new pilots assigned to fill Rafe's squadron after the Doolittle raid.  
  
"Midway was a Navy operation," said a familiar gruff voice. The pilots stepped aside to reveal the tall, slightly bedraggled figure in overalls. It was Earl, the squadron's chief mechanic, standing in the doorway. "After what you fellas did to Tokyo, naturally the Navy boys wanted their time in the sun."  
  
Rafe allowed himself a slight smile. Army versus Navy. Not even wartime could stop that age-old rivalry. "I doubt that publicity had anything to with that, Sergeant," he said. "The Navy were simply the right people to stop the Japs at Midway. An Army operation probably would have been ineffective."  
  
"If you say so, Captain." The mechanic joined the pilots at the bar. "I hope you don't mind me joining you, sir."  
  
"Be my guest, Earl. Drinks are on me." Whoops filled the air, as Rafe dug several bills out of his pocket. The others soon issued their orders to the bartender, who began serving drinks. Rafe ordered a straight bourbon.  
  
Once all of the drinks were served, Rafe, Red, Gooz, Earl and a fourth pilot named Steve, retired to an empty table behind a beaded curtain. Like the other three pilots, Steve was a survivor from the Tokyo raid. Rafe took a sip  
  
of his bourbon and said, "By the way, fellas, thanks for not picking me up, this afternoon. Where were you?"  
  
Anxiety flitted across Gooz's face. "Wasn't Evelyn there to pick you up?"  
  
"Unfortunately, she was."  
  
Red replied, "We ra. . . ran into . . . ran into E-E-Evelyn at the movies. When we told her a-a-abo. . . about you, she asked to p-p-pick you up in . . . instead."  
  
His stuttering seemed to have returned with a vengeance.  
  
A sigh left Rafe's mouth. He had not meant to make Red that nervous.  
  
"Evelyn?" Earl's brows quirked upward. "Isn't that Lieu . . . uh, Captain Walker's girl? The Navy nurse?" The sergeant's question drew a heavy silence from his four companions. He frowned. "Did I just say something wro . . .?"  
  
Rafe interrupted. "No, didn't," he said curtly. "She was Danny's girl."  
  
Another stretch of silence followed. Rafe barely paid attention to the tension from the other four men. Or the music blasting from the jukebox. "You okay, Captain?" Earl asked uneasily. "You seem a bit sore just now."   
  
"No," Rafe said, shaking his head. "Everything's fine." His mouth formed a grim line. "Just swell."  
  
Earl gave Rafe a leery glance. "Uh huh. I, uh, I wondered what happened to her. Pretty lady. She must have taken Danny's death pretty hard."  
  
Someone coughed. Red. Rafe poured himself another shot of bourbon. "Yeah," he finally answered. "She did." More silence followed. Rafe found himself wishing he had remained at the barracks. Hell, he regretted a lot of things. Including his marriage proposal to Evelyn.  
  
"If everything is swell," Red asked, "why are you looking so sore?"  
  
Without even thinking, Rafe replied, "Because I had proposed marriage to Evelyn and she said no." His mouth clamped shut the moment he spoke his last word. Dammit! When will he ever learn not to drink and talk at the same time? 


	3. Chapter 3 - A Little Help From Friends

"A CONVENIENT PROPOSAL"  
  
  
PART 3 - A Little Help From Friends  
  
"Say that again?" Barbara nearly screeched. Her blue eyes had grown wide with shock.   
  
Evelyn quietly repeated her announcement. That Rafe had asked her to marry him. Barbara continued, "And you're upset over that?"  
  
"Who said anything about me being upset?" a petulant Evelyn asked.  
  
Martha rolled her eyes. "Honey, you should have seen your face when you came in. You looked as if you could take on Hitler, Tojo and Mussolini all by yourself. I'd say you were very upset."  
  
A sigh left Evelyn's mouth. Her shoulders sagged in defeat. "All right," she conceded. "I admit it. I am upset."  
  
Curiosity gleamed in Sandra's dark eyes. "Over Rafe's proposal?"  
  
Evelyn glumly nodded.  
  
"Why would that upset you?" Barbara demanded. "That's something I've been dreaming of for years."  
  
In subdued tones, Evelyn described Rafe's proposal, word by word. Both Barbara and Martha reacted with groans. A disapproving frown touched Sandra's brow and the fourth nurse, Clarice, stared at Evelyn with confused eyes. "I don't understand. Aren't you glad that he proposed? I mean . . . well, at least your baby will finally have a father."  
  
"Which is why you should have accepted him in the first place," Sandra added, still frowning. "You have to think of the baby, Evelyn. He . . . or she needs both a mother and a father."  
  
Barbara threw her hands in the air out of sheer exasperation. "Have you two been listening? Rafe proposed marriage to her out of pity. Or out of some dumb male obligation to a dead buddy." Evelyn winced at the crude reference to Danny's death. Barbara noticed and quickly murmured an apology.  
  
"What Barbara is trying to say in her most subtle manner," Martha continued in an arch voice, "is that Evelyn wants more than a marriage of convenience."  
  
Clarice shook her head. "I don't understand. If Lieu . . . uh, Captain Walker was still alive, I can see why she would be upset. But isn't that a moot point now that he's gone?" She turned to Evelyn. "Right?"  
  
Evelyn looked away. An increasingly familiar guilt tugged at her heart, as she answered, "Not quite, Clarice. It's a little more complicated than that."  
  
Sighs from the other three nurses filled the kitchen. Sandra removed her glasses and used a napkin to clean the lenses. "What Evelyn meant was . . ." she hesitated, her narrow face forming another frown. "Well, to be honest, I'm a little unsure about how she feels."  
  
"For crying out loud!" Martha stood up and headed for the refrigerator. "I need a drink." She reached inside the refrigerator and removed a bottle of beer. "Anyone else want a bottle?" she asked. No one answered.  
  
Evelyn took a sip of her coffee. "You see, it's like this, Clarice. About eighteen months ago, when we were stationed in New York, Rafe and I met and fell in love."  
  
"It was the funniest thing," Barbara added, laughter bubbling on her lips. "Evelyn told us all about it. They met when we were assigned to give physicals for the Army pilots at Mitchell . . ." The words died under Evelyn's direct glared. "Sorry, honey. Go ahead."  
  
Evelyn continued, "Thank you. Anyway, to make a long story short, Rafe and I had fallen in love and dated for about a month, until he left the States to fly with the Eagle Squadron in England. You've heard about the American pilots who fought with the RAF, right?"  
  
Clarice nodded. "Yeah. I saw 'A Yank in the RAF'."  
  
Americans, Evelyn decided, must be the only people who refer to movies in regard to history. She continued, "After Rafe left for England, the Navy assigned shipped us to Hawaii. Rafe's squadron also came here. Then Danny and I received word that Rafe had been killed in a dogfight over the English Channel. We . . ." Memories of those three miserable months following Rafe's "death" hit Evelyn. She found herself struggling to fight back a wave of melancholy.  
  
Sandra's voice expressed concern. "Are you okay, Ev?"  
  
"I'm fine. Fine." Evelyn took a deep breath. "Well, after Danny told me about what happened to Rafe, the next three months were hard." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "For both of us."  
  
Martha finished for her. "Three months after Evelyn and Danny learned what happened to Rafe, they started dating. Barbara saw them together, at the Black Rock Café."  
  
"That wasn't a date," Evelyn explained. "We had ran into each other at the movies. But after . . ."  
  
Clarice continued, "But afterward, you two began dating. I understand. You wanted to move on. And you fell in love."  
  
Evelyn remained silent. She did not know how to reply to Clarice's supposition. Had she and Danny really fallen in love? Or only Danny? She had wonderful memories of their two months together. And yet . . .  
  
"They fell in love," Sandra said, repeating Clarice's words. "And Rafe came back from the dead. He had been stuck in France all that time. Well, the Japanese attacked over a day after Rafe returned. Evelyn and Danny became engaged." She paused. "You two were engaged, right?"  
  
A brief hesitation followed before Evelyn could reply. "Well, I . . ." Someone interrupted before she could finish.  
  
"Of course Ev and Danny became engaged," Martha interjected. "Especially after he found out about the baby."  
  
Evelyn quietly added, "I never told Danny about the baby."  
  
"What?" Four voices cried out in unison. A silent pause then filled the kitchen. Evelyn found herself facing eyes that either expressed shock or surprise.  
  
Martha finally broke the silence. "You didn't tell him? Geez Louise! Evelyn, why didn't you?"  
  
"Because, he was about to leave for a dangerous mission," Evelyn explained. "And I didn't want him to become distracted."  
  
Sandra burst out with, "Golly Ev! I understand. Really, I do. But . . ." For the first time, she expressed signs of nervousness. "Your little noble act proved useless in the end, didn't it? Maybe you should have told Danny. At least he would have married you before he left." She paused. "Did Rafe know?"  
  
Evelyn hesitated. "Yes." Gasps burst out of the other nurses' mouths.  
  
"You told Rafe, but not Danny?" Martha demanded.  
  
"I didn't mean to!" Evelyn protested. "But I had to let Rafe know where we stood." Murmurs of understanding followed.  
  
Clarice stared at Evelyn with sad eyes. "Gee, you really must have had a difficult time, lately. The man you love is dead and you're having his baby."  
  
"Poor Evelyn," Sandra murmured compassionately. "We know it's been tough for you. But you still have Rafe. You may not be in love with him anymore," Evelyn glanced away to hide the bitter set of her mouth, "but at least he's willing to help you."  
  
"How do you known that Evelyn doesn't love Rafe anymore?" Martha protested. "For all you know, she had decided to stay with Danny because of the baby."  
  
The red-haired nurse dismissed Martha's idea with a wave of the hand. "That's silly. If she was still in love with Rafe, she would have never dated Danny in the first place."   
  
Martha's eyes rolled upward. "Who are you suppose to be? Mrs. Sigmund Freud? Or some student of the human psyche?"  
  
Dark brown eyes flashed with anger. "I do know Evelyn," Sandra replied heatedly. "And she happens to be a decent woman."  
  
"Oh brother!" Martha snidely shot back. "Look what we have here! Our very own bastion of morality!"  
  
Sandra gave the older woman a pointed stare. "Unlike Evelyn or myself, some people may be beyond help when it comes to leading a decent life. I wonder who."  
  
Martha retorted, "At least I'm not blind to possibilities other than moral ones. You know, the possibility that Evelyn may have dated Danny because she was lonely."  
  
All eyes turned to Evelyn. Sandra demanded, "Evelyn, who were you in love with? Rafe or Danny?"  
  
The pregnant woman winced at Sandra's direct question and the intense scrutiny from the other three nurses. "What is this?" she protested. "The Spanish Inquisition?"  
  
"Yeah," Barbara added, glaring at the others. "You guys are all over the poor woman like locust. Let her breath a little. Instead, why don't you give Clarice a ride back to the base. It's almost time for curfew."  
  
Sandra replied, "We're only trying to help. Besides, curfew won't arrive in another three hours or so."  
  
"Three hours can go by pretty fast. Now am-scray!" Barbara ordered.  
  
  
  
Grumbling to themselves, Sandra, Martha and Clarice slowly filed out of the kitchen. Sandra reminded Evelyn that she was available if the latter needed to talk. Once Barbara and Evelyn were alone, the blond nurse leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. "Honey," she said, "I think we need to talk."  
  
* * * *  
  
Four pairs of eyes belonging to three pilots and a mechanic gawked at Rafe, following his earth-shattering announcement. "Uh Rafe," Red began, "did you just say . . .?"  
  
"I asked Evelyn to marry me," Rafe repeated himself.  
  
Earl added, "And she said no. Huh." His thick brows formed double arches. "No wonder you seem pissed." Rafe shot him a dark glare. Earl's face turned red with embarrassment. "Sorry, Captain."  
  
"She said no?" Steve demanded. "Why?"  
  
Rafe shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I don't know. Maybe she didn't like the way I had proposed."  
  
His table companions mumbled their condolences. "Too bad," Gooz added, "considering that baby will be here any minute. I reckon it could use a daddy."  
  
"That baby?" Rafe's voice expressed irritation. "Evelyn's baby is a 'that'?"  
  
Gooz shot back, "Well, hell! How am I supposed to know whether it will be a boy or a girl? Do you?"  
  
A retort hung on Rafe's lips. However, he remained silent. He could not argue with the truth.  
  
"Say Captain, what exactly did you say to her when you proposed?" Earl asked.  
  
Rafe recounted the exact words he had said to Evelyn. Both Red and Steve groaned aloud. Gooz rolled his eyes and Earl merely stared at Rafe with disbelief. "She actually got pissed off from that? Why?"  
  
"Are you kidding?" Steve turned on the sergeant. "No woman in her right mind would accept a proposal like that. No matter how she feels about the guy."  
  
Earl demanded, "What are you talking about? Lieu . . . Captain Walker's girl is expecting a baby. He's gone and Captain McCawley here, has offered to help out. What the hell is wrong with that? He'll give the baby a name and a father - if he survives the war. And it's not like they have to stay married forever."  
  
Rafe wanted to slink away and die. Instead, he let out an audible groan. No wonder Evelyn had lost her temper. Jesus! Thinking about it now, his proposal did seem rather cold-blooded.  
  
"Why don't you tell us the truth, Rafe?" Red quietly said. His voice sounded unusually tired. "About Evelyn."  
  
Earl's gaze shifted between the two officers. "What truth?"  
  
Taking a deep breath, Rafe confessed. "Evelyn and I first dated over a year ago. Just before I left for England."  
  
"Say that again?"  
  
Rafe told the mechanic the entire story. About how he and Evelyn first met, their separation, Rafe's months in the RAF, news of his death reaching Evelyn and Danny, their subsequent romance, his arrival in Hawaii and Evelyn's announcement about the baby. "Since she was carrying Danny's baby, I figured it would be best for me to bow out. Only, Danny was . . ." His eyes riveted toward the half-empty beach beyond, as he tried to force away memories of those moments in the rice paddy. "Well, Danny got killed and now, Evelyn is alone and pregnant."  
  
"And you still love her," Earl knowingly added. He shook his head. "Jesus! This all sounds like one of those Fannie Hurst novels my second wife liked to read."  
  
Red's eyes became blank. Steve cried out, "Huh?"  
  
"Fannie Hurst," Gooz added in his usual laconic manner. "She wrote a lot of melodramas around ten or twenty years ago. IMITATION OF LIFE, BACK STREET. There was a new movie version of BACK STREET about a year ago. With Margaret Sullivan."  
  
Earl looked at the pilot as if the latter had lost his mind. "You read Fannie Hurst novels?"  
  
Gooz's face became rock-like. "Sure," he mumbled. "What's wrong with that?"  
  
"Brother, if you don't know the answer to that, you don't deserve to be a pilot," Steve said, shaking his head. "Fannie Hurst."  
  
Earl turned to Rafe. "So Captain, you're still in love with this Evelyn. Does she feel the same about you?"  
  
Rafe sighed. "Hell, I don't know. She once told me that she would always think of me whenever she saw a sunset. I don't know if she still feels the same. What do you think?"  
  
"Hell, if she got pissed off from that proposal you gave her, I guess she does." Earl paused. "Then again, what would I know? I've got two failed marriages under my belt. I'm the last person to give advice on romance. What about you, Steve?"  
  
The dark-haired pilot swallowed the last of his beer. "I haven't had a date since before the war, six months ago. Don't ask me." His glanced at Gooz. "Maybe you should ask the Fannie Hurst fan, here."  
  
"I may like Fannie Hurst, but I don't know a thing about romance," Gooz mumbled. "Sorry, can't help you."  
  
The table fell silent. The other pilots stared at Red, who merely shrugged.  
  
Rafe sighed. "Maybe I should just . . ."  
  
A pilot burst through the beaded curtain, interrupting Rafe. His broad face was red with excitement. "Hey! Morley's girl from back home has just agreed to marry him. Free drinks are on him." He immediately returned to the bar.  
  
Earl, Gooz and Steve immediately rose to their feet. "Free drinks Captain," Earl said. "Plan to join us?"  
  
"That's okay." Rafe shook his head. "Maybe later."  
  
The three men disappeared behind the curtain. Rafe reached for the bottle of bourbon. A hand grabbed the bottle from his grasp. Red's. The red-haired pilot's face looked serious. "Can we talk, Rafe?" He nodded toward the beach. "While we take a walk?"  
  
A feeling struck Rafe that Red had something to say about his situation with Evelyn. He decided it was no time like the present. "Sure," he replied and the two men descended the small staircase from the bar and headed for the beach.  
  
END OF PART 3 


	4. Chapter 4 - Advice From the Lovelorn

"A CONVENIENT PROPOSAL"  
  
  
PART 4 - Advice From the Lovelorn  
  
Evelyn sat back into her chair. A sharp pain stabbed her lower back. God! How uncomfortable she felt! "Before we start this discussion that's making you look so earnest," she said to Barbara, "would you mind if we move? My back is killing me."  
  
"Oh." Barbara blinked. "Sure honey." She sprung out of her chair and helped Evelyn stand up. The pair headed straight for the living room, where Evelyn slowly eased onto the large sofa. Barbara rushed back into the kitchen to fetch refreshments for the pregnant woman.  
  
While the blond nurse was in the kitchen, the other three nurses descended the staircase and headed for the front door. Martha and Sandra had changed into civilian dresses. "Remember," Sandra said to Evelyn, "if you need to talk, I'll be back." Evelyn thanked her and the trio left the house.  
  
Barbara returned to the living room, carrying a tray filled with sandwiches, a pot of coffee and two cups. "Here you go, sweetie." She placed the tray on the table, situated in front of the sofa. Then she piled two sandwiches on a napkin and handed them to Evelyn. "How do you like your coffee?"  
  
Munching on a sandwich, Evelyn replied, "With lots of milk and sugar."  
  
Barbara prepared a cup of coffee, just as Evelyn had ordered. She placed it on the small table, next to the sofa and within the latter's reach. Then, "Honey, may I ask you a question?" She reached for her own sandwich.  
  
"Shoot," Evelyn said between bites.  
  
Blue eyes stared directly into dark brown ones. "Evelyn, what were you thinking?"  
  
The blunt question took Evelyn by surprise. She stared at Barbara. "Huh? What are you talking about?"  
  
"I'm talking about the late Captain Daniel Walker," Barbara shot back. "And that." She pointed at Evelyn's swollen abdomen. "Just what in the hell was you thinking?"  
  
Evelyn's cheeks burned hot with embarrassment. She placed the remaining sandwich next to her cup of coffee. "Don't you think you're being a little too personal, Barbara?" she retorted in a cool voice.  
  
"Personal?" Barbara's blond brows shot upward. "Honey, we've been talking about your love life for the past hour or so with the other girls. You didn't seem to mind then. Tell me," she leaned forward, "did you love him? Danny, I mean."  
  
Evelyn shot back, "Of course I did! Danny was a wonderful man. Warm, sweet and compassionate. And very loving. Did you know that he wrote poetry?"  
  
Barbara took a sip of coffee. "No kidding. I didn't know you like poetry."  
  
"It's nice," Evelyn said with a shrug.  
  
Silence followed as Evelyn found herself squirming under Barbara's direct scrutiny. Then the older woman smiled. "So it's nice, huh? Exactly what did you mean by nice? It's okay or it's grand?"  
  
An impatient grunt escaped Evelyn's lips. She retorted, "What are you getting at, Barbara?"  
  
"It's like this, honey. Were in love with Danny?"  
  
"Didn't you hear what I said? I told you, yes!"  
  
Barbara shook her head. "You said that you loved Danny. You never said anything about being in love with him."  
  
Evelyn's patience snapped. "What's the difference?"  
  
"The difference is this," Barbara began. Her face expressed a patience rarely seen on her face. "Loving someone is like feeling deep affection and warmth toward him. Or her. It's a feeling you would have for a . . . a beloved relative or a friend. Or even an old boyfriend you had a lot of fun with."  
  
Evelyn stared at her friend. "Was that how you felt about Billy?" She referred to the pilot Barbara had dated, until his death during the Japanese attack at Pearl. Billy became the victim of a delayed bomb that had landed not far from the pilots' barracks.  
  
Barbara shrugged. "Not quite. I guess I felt a little more." She paused and glanced away. "After all, I dated the bum for nearly a year. But I wasn't in love with him."  
  
"I still don't understand what you're saying. What's the difference?"  
  
"Being in love," Barbara continued, "is like having a soul mate." Her eyes grew wistful. "Two hearts beating as one. Chemistry. Magic. Like Greer Garson and Ronald Colman in 'RANDOM HARVEST'. You can barely breath when you're around him. Or her." She paused. "How did Danny make you feel?"  
  
Certainly not like that, Evelyn immediately thought. Then she mentally castigated herself. How could she say that to herself? Those two months with Danny had been wonderful. She even managed not to think of Rafe. At least most of the time. And yet, she had to admit that she never felt any chemistry or magic around Danny. Quietly, she answered, "He made me feel nice. Loved."  
  
"Breathless?"  
  
Evelyn paused. Might as well be honest. "No," she finally replied. "He didn't."  
  
Barbara nodded. "I'm not surprised. And Rafe? How do you feel about him?"  
  
How did she feel about Rafe? Evelyn recalled that first moment her eyes had met his at Mitchell Field eighteen months ago. And the way her heart thumped rapidly at the sight of him descending the airplane just two or three hours ago. A deep heat washed over her body.  
  
"You know, if only you could see yourself right now," Barbara commented, interrupting Evelyn's musing. "You've got this big, silly grin on your face."  
  
Embarrassment quickly wiped away Evelyn's grin. "I do? I mean . . . oh! Never mind." She took a sip of coffee.  
  
Barbara continued, "You never answered my question about Rafe."  
  
Evelyn quickly responded under her breath, "I love him."  
  
"What? I didn't hear you."  
  
In a louder voice, Evelyn repeated, "I said that I love Rafe."  
  
"That's nice, honey," Barbara said with her usual sardonic tone. "But are you in love with him?"  
  
Evelyn's eyes flew open. "I . . . I mean . . ." She sighed. "Yes," she finally confessed. "I'm still in love with him."   
  
Barbara gave a knowing nod. "Thought so. And that's why you were so upset over his marriage proposal. You wanted one that was a little more romantic. Especially from the man you love."  
  
"Yes," Evelyn whispered. She stared at the tray of sandwiches and coffee. "Unfortunately, that won't ever happen. Will it? Not with me carrying Danny's child."  
  
Barbara let out a sigh. "Maybe Rafe is afraid that you don't love him anymore. Like you said, there's the baby to consider." Silence fell between the two friends. Then Barbara continued, "You also forgot to answer my first question."  
  
"What's that?" Evelyn asked.  
  
Leaning forward, Barbara said, "What in the hell were you thinking? Dating Danny so soon after Rafe was declared killed in action. Geez Louise, Ev! Three months!"  
  
"I was lonely!" Evelyn cried in defense. "After you all saw me at the Black   
Cat Café with Danny, you kept telling me to move on. Get over Rafe. Live again. So I did."  
  
Barbara rolled her eyes. "Honey! I don't know what the others meant, but my idea of moving on was go out every once in a while with Danny or us. Go to the beach or the movies. Go riding around the island on weekends. Not have a torrid romance with your dead boyfriend's best friend! Who told you to do that?"  
  
"Well, Betty thought it was a good idea."  
  
A heavy sigh burst out of Barbara's mouth. "Oh my God! Why on earth would you take advice from a seventeen year-old girl? I love Betty. And I miss her something, awful. But Evelyn, she was not exactly qualified to give you advice on your love life. I don't care how old she was when she ran away from home, she wasn't that experienced." Her eyes rolled toward heaven, Barbara muttered just loud enough for Evelyn to hear, "Betty, of all people!"  
  
Evelyn looked away. "You don't understand, Barbara," she said quietly. "You don't know what it was like after I heard that Rafe had died. I felt as if   
. . . I don't know. As if a part of my soul had been torn away." Tears pricked at her eyes, as a small burst of laughter left her mouth. "Golly! Listen to me! I sound like something out of some Joan Crawford melodrama." She clumsily wiped away her tears.  
  
Sympathy poured out of Barbara's eyes. "I can't say I really know how you felt, honey. But I understand." She paused. "Danny helped you through a dark time in your life. But Ev, didn't you ever stop to think that it all happened to fast? Or that you simply weren't ready for another romance so soon?"  
  
"Of course I did!" Evelyn protested. She closed her eyes momentarily. "After that night with Danny in the hangar, I realized it was all happening too fast. Only . . ." Memories of that moment in the garden with Danny rushed back to her. "Only, you should have seen his face when I tried to tell him, Barbara. He looked so . . . so desperate for some happiness. Like a little lost puppy who had finally found a home."  
  
Barbara shook her head. "And because you felt sorry for Danny, you ended up in some romance with him. What a mess!"  
  
"I know," Evelyn quietly acknowledged, as she dropped her head into her open palms. "Now what am I going to do? I'm pregnant, the baby's father is dead and I just turned down a proposal from the man I love. Rafe's never going to ask again."  
  
A shrug lifted Barbara's shoulders. "You don't know that. But if you're right . . . well, you shouldn't let it end like this." Life glimmered in her blue eyes. "If Rafe won't come to you, you'll have to go to him. I'm not just thinking of the baby, Ev. You can easily get a phony wedding ring and birth certificate and tell people that his or her father is dead. Which is the truth."  
  
"Barbara . . ." Evelyn began.  
  
The blond-haired woman leaned forward. "Look, Evelyn. If you love Rafe that much, fight to get him back. Make him fall in love with you again. Like Scarlett O'Hara in 'GONE WITH THE END'."  
  
"Scarlett lost Rhett Butler in the end."  
  
"Not quite. Don't you remember? Instead of giving up, she decided that she would get Rhett back, no matter what. That's what you need to do with Rafe," Barbara continued. "Because you know something, honey? This might be your last chance for some real happiness."  
  
* * * *   
  
Rafe's eyes swept over the half-empty beach. "Not many people here," Red commented, as his eyes followed those of the other man. "You should have seen it last year, around this time. A guy could barely take a step without tripping over a body. Now look at it."  
  
"There wasn't a war going on," Rafe responded. "At least not here." He paused, his eyes now fixed upon the waves crashing against the shore. "Now everything's changed."  
  
The two men fell silent as they watched a bronze-skinned, middle-aged man deftly ride the waves on a surfboard. The Hawaiian managed to reach the shore without falling into the water. "It's a good thing Gooz isn't watching," Red said. "He'd be bombarding that fellow about his surfboard." Rafe stared at the red-haired pilot questioningly. "Gooz has plans for a new kind of surfboard. One that will make him rich."  
  
A grunt escaped Rafe's mouth and the two friends continued their walk along the beach. "Okay Red," Rafe said, "you got me alone. What do you want to talk about?"  
  
"Do you love Evelyn, Rafe?"  
  
Red's question stopped the other pilot in his tracks. "What the hell are you getting at?" Rafe demanded.  
  
Red sighed. "I . . . I just want to know if you're still in love with her?"  
  
Rafe snapped back, "Of course I am! Didn't you hear what I told the others?"  
  
"Then why did you ask her . . ." Red paused momentarily. "Why did you ask her to marry you like that? As if you were proposing a business deal?"  
  
The sounds of crashing waves and voices on the beach filled the silence between the two men. Rafe took a deep breath and began walking. Toward what direction, he had no idea. It seemed as if his feet automatically needed to move, while he contemplated Red's question.  
  
"Rafe? Rafe, I'm sorry," Red said in a breathless rush. "I didn't mean for you to get sore."  
  
Rafe paused. For once, he wished he had developed a smoking habit. At least he would have something to keep his hands occupied. "No . . . I mean . . . well, yeah, I'm a little sore. But you're right. I wasn't exactly the most romantic joe when I proposed to Evelyn." He sighed. "You don't understand. I reckon I was afraid. Afraid that . . ."  
  
"Afraid that Evelyn might not love you anymore," Red finished. "Because of what happened between her and Danny." Rafe remained silent. "Am I right?"  
  
A small ball of anger formed within Rafe. His mind flashed back to that horrible night outside the hospital at Pearl. When he learned about Evelyn and Danny. As much as he loved them both, as much as he missed Danny with nearly every breath within him, he could not forget the feeling of betrayal from that night. Nor the shock he had received when Evelyn revealed her pregnancy.  
  
"You don't understand," Rafe retorted. "Can you imagine what it was like to escape death in order to get back to the woman you loved? Only to find out that she's moved on with your best friend?"  
  
Red shot back, "No, I don't, dammit! But I do know what Danny and Evelyn went through! Especially Evelyn." He paused and a pink flush crept over his face. "I've known ever since Betty was killed, six months ago."  
  
Guilt hit Rafe like a sock in the gut. He had been so caught up in his own guilt and anger that he forgot the suffering of others. "I'm sorry, Red," he began. "I didn't realize . . ."  
  
"It's okay, Rafe. I don't expect you to keep an eye on me every waking moment." Red sat down on the sand. Rafe joined him. "I haven't told this to anyone," he continued. "Right after Betty's death, I had been too busy to really have a chance to grieve. Especially with us training for Colonel Doolittle's raid. But after we got back, it sort of hit me that I was alone. Betty was dead. Anthony had been killed in China. That's when I met her. Just before you returned to the States to bury Danny."  
  
Rafe frowned. "Met who?"  
  
"Margie." According to Red, he had met a civilian nurse named Marjorie Gronowski at the Black Cat Café. She had been recently widowed after her husband, an Army infantry lieutenant, was killed during the Japanese takeover of the Philippines Islands. "Margie was supposed to join her husband right before Christmas, but the Japs struck Pearl. Four months later, she got word of his death from a buddy of his."  
  
Slowly, Rafe added, "And you two became . . . you know . . . lovers. Right?"  
  
Red nodded. "Yeah. It happened a week after we first met. After talking about Betty and Jon - her husband, we started drinking a lot. One thing led to another and then . . ." Red ended his sentence with a shrug.  
  
Curious, Rafe asked, "How long did it last?"  
  
"Almost a month," Red answered. "I just ended it two days ago. I realized our relationship was going too fast. And that I really wasn't over Betty. At least not yet."  
  
A bitter laugh escaped Rafe's mouth. "Too bad Evelyn and Danny didn't feel the same."  
  
"I think Evelyn did," Red commented. "You have to understand, Rafe. Both she and Danny were really upset when they thought you were dead. Danny used to drift away, time to time. And I once saw him staring at your picture at the bar."  
  
Rafe looked away.  
  
Red continued, "As for Evelyn, Betty once told me that she used to cry herself to sleep nearly every night. At least until she and Danny started dating around October. I don't know about Evelyn, but there was something odd in the way Danny went after her. Like he was desperate and needed her to keep him from going over the edge. Margie reminded me a lot of him. But I think Evelyn, like me . . . well, I think she began to regret dating Danny. Once I saw staring at nothing, as if she had something else on her mind. Danny had to snap her out of it. I think he was a little upset."  
  
After a moment's pause, Rafe asked, "Are you saying that she was thinking of me?"  
  
"I don't know. I can't answer that." Red stared at Rafe. "Only Evelyn can."  
  
"Meaning?"  
  
Red sighed. "Maybe you and Evelyn need to talk. Have you two even bothered to talk, yet?"  
  
Rafe recalled Evelyn's visit at the motor court. If he had to be honest, he did most of the talking that morning. "Maybe it's time I listen to Evelyn," he mumbled.  
  
Apparently, he had mumbled loud enough for the other man to hear. A smile appeared on Red's face. "You were always a pretty smart fellow, Rafe."  
  
The Tennessee-born officer slapped Red's back. "I reckon you're the smart one, Red. And you know what else?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're also a good friend. I hope you'll stay my friend for a long time." The two men remained on the beach and watched the surfer dive back into the ocean.  
  
END OF PART 4 


	5. Chapter 5 - Regrets and Reunion

"A CONVENIENT PROPOSAL"  
  
  
PART 5 - Regrets and Reunion  
  
Saturday morning arrived brightly over the island of Oahu. Inside the two-story bungalow off ? Road, four women bustled about, preparing for a picnic on the beach. Actually, three of the women bustled. The fourth remained seated on the living sofa and observed her busy roommates, while her hands rested upon her swollen abdomen.  
  
"Did anyone get the umbrella?" a voice cried from upstairs. Sandra's voice. "I don't see it in the closet up here!"  
  
Barbara shouted from the kitchen doorway, "It's here! Downstairs, near the door!" Evelyn glanced at the front door. Sure enough, a large, green-and-white umbrella stood against it.   
  
Heavy footsteps signaled Sandra's descent on the staircase. The red-haired nurse appeared in the living room, wearing a white, one-piece swimsuit and a blue dirndl skirt. "Oh, I see it," she said, glancing at the umbrella. Her gaze turned to Evelyn on the sofa. "Good. You're ready. Very nice outfit, by the way."  
  
Evelyn did not doubt the other woman's sincerity. Just her taste in clothes. The pregnant ex-nurse privately felt the opposite about her appearance. Since her pregnancy prevented her from wearing her favorite two-piece pink swimsuit, Evelyn had to contend with a white, flower-print dress. As far as she was concerned, she might as well wear a mummu. Or a tent.  
  
"Is everyone ready?" Barbara asked. She and Martha entered the living room, dressed in their own beachwear. Whereas Barbara's outfit resembled Sandra's, Martha wore a white, short-sleeved blouse and tan slacks.  
  
Sandra replied, "We're ready. Only the boys and Clarice haven't arrived yet." She glanced at her watch. And it's already after eleven o'clock."  
  
As if on cue, a car horn signaled the arrival of what sounded like more than one vehicle rolling to a halt on the driveway. Martha went to the window and peeked outside. "They're here!" She then rushed to the door and opened it. "Hey! What happened to you guys!"   
  
Less than a minute later, Clarice and five Army pilots tramped inside the house talking all at once. Red, Steve, Gooz, a pilot named Arnie Goetz and a very somber-looking Rafe. Evelyn drew a silent intake of breath at the sight of the Tennessee-born man. Deeply tanned and dressed in a T-shirt with a Hawaiian shirt over it and swim shorts, he looked good enough to eat. She barely noticed the other visitors. Or the jar in his hand.  
  
"You're late!" Sandra snapped. "Ten minutes late, to be exact."  
  
Gooz rolled his eyes. "Whacha gonna do? Dock our pay?" he responded in his most laconic manner. Sandra speared him with her most formidable glare.  
  
"Now that you're here, you can help us carry everything to the beach," Sandra continued. "Except Rafe. He can help Evelyn."  
  
"God Almighty! I might as well be a slave on some cotton plantation!" Gooz protested, as he picked up a heavy picnic basket. "What the hell is in this thing?"  
  
Carrying the large umbrella, Martha added, "Don't mind Sandra. She's been slowly becoming Miss Simon Legree for the past six months. Consider this change of personality as her contribution to the war effort." She started toward the door.  
  
While the others marched out of the house, carrying various equipment and food for the picnic, Rafe remained behind, looking increasingly self-conscious. Evelyn also found herself growing uneasy. "Ready to go?" he asked, staring directly at her.  
  
Evelyn hesitated, returning Rafe's gaze with her own. "You go ahead with the others," she said, struggling to lift her large body from the sofa. "I'll be right behind you."  
  
"Sure you will. In about an hour from now. That's how long it's gonna take for you to get off that sofa." Rafe placed the jar on the table and reached for her arm. "Here, let me help."  
  
"It's not necessary, Rafe! I'm pregnant, not an invalid!" But the pilot refused to heed Evelyn's protests. He grabbed her arm and helped her rise from the sofa. "I could have done that on my own," she quietly retorted.  
  
Rafe shot back, "Jesus Evelyn! It won't kill you to get a little help!" The former lovers exchanged glares filled with wariness and resentment. Evelyn shook off Rafe's grip and headed for the door.  
  
When they arrived on the beach, Evelyn and Rafe found the others setting up a picnic. Both Barbara and Martha were spreading blankets on the sand, while Red and Arnie set up the portable grill. Steve seemed intent on erecting the large umbrella - with no success. Clarice busied herself with unpacking the food from the picnic baskets. And Gooz had disappeared.  
  
"Say, where's Gooz?" Rafe demanded. He abandoned Evelyn's side to help Steve with the umbrella.  
  
Steve replied, "He went to get his surfboard. You know, the one he made improvements on. I guess he wants to test it before he can slap a patent on it." He finally managed to erect the umbrella - with Rafe's help. "Thanks." Rafe nodded and then helped Evelyn into a beach chair.  
  
Sandra unpacked Barbara's portable radio and clicked it on. Strains of "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" filled the air. "For crying out loud!" Barbara exclaimed. "Turn to another station. Please! I've had enough of listening to that song!"  
  
"I happen to like that song," Steve protested. "What? You have something against the Andrews Sisters?"  
  
Barbara retorted, "I have something against that song. Trust the Army to find a way to get a hit song about them on the charts. What did you guys do? Pay off some recording studio?"  
  
It was not long before the old Army versus Navy feud flared up between Barbara and Steve. Evelyn watched the pair with interest. She realized a few things. One, the verbal spat seemed to lack any real hostility between the pair. And two, in place of any hostility, there seemed to be a playful sexuality. Apparently, Barbara had found a new man to attract her interest. Only she had not realized this yet. Before Sandra could switch to another station, the Andrews Sisters had been replaced with the Glenn Miller Band playing "Tuxedo Junction".  
  
Gooz returned, carrying his familiar surfboard. "Hey everybody! Ready to hit the surf?"  
  
"What about the food?" Sandra asked. "Who is going to cook the burgers and hot dogs? Evelyn is certainly in no condition to do that, herself."  
  
Rafe spoke up quietly. "I'll do it. Y'all just go and enjoy yourselves." He began setting a fire in the grill.  
  
"You're sure?" Red asked. Rafe nodded. While the two men exchanged a few words, Red and the others removed their clothes, revealing their swimwear underneath.  
  
Barbara leaned close to Evelyn's ear and whispered. "Don't forget. Fight." Then she turned to the others and cried, "Last person in the water is a facist!" She, Steve, Red, Gooz, Sandra, and Clarice raced toward the water, whooping and hollering. Martha and Arnie began walking along the shore. And Evelyn found herself alone with Rafe for the first time in three days.  
  
Rafe reached for a large platter from the picnic basket and removed the foil covering. Ground beef patties and hot dogs filled the plate. "What do you want?" he asked.  
  
"What?" Evelyn stared at him. Rafe seemed calm. Collected. Maybe a little too calm.  
  
"I asked what you want. A hamburger? Hot dog?"  
  
A nervous Evelyn cleared her throat. She had to admit that breakfast had failed to satisfy her hunger. "I guess a hamburger would be nice," she replied. "And a hot dog." Rafe shot her a surprised look. "I'm eating for two, now."  
  
"I didn't realize that unborn babies were in the habit of eating hamburgers and hot dogs," Rafe muttered sardonically.  
  
A smile touched Evelyn's lips. It felt nice to know that Rafe had not lost his sense of humor. She watched him place a beef patty and a hot dog on the grill. The sound of meat sizzling made her mouth water.  
  
"Do you want barbeque sauce on your food?" Rafe asked. He picked up the jar that he had carried from the bungalow.  
  
Eyeing the jar of sauce like a hungry predator, Evelyn asked Rafe if that was the famous McCawley barbeque sauce. "You know, your dad's recipe."  
  
Looking somewhat pleased, Rafe added, "Yeah. My dad gave me this jar before I left Tennessee, two weeks ago." He paused and smiled. "You remember."  
  
Evelyn chuckled. "How could I forget? You've talked about it so many times. Frank McCawley's Famous BBQ Sauce. Even Danny once men. . ." She paused, her cheeks growing hot at the mention of the late pilot.   
  
Rafe averted his eyes. "Yeah, Danny was always crazy about Daddy's sauce," he said quietly.  
  
Silence fell between the pair. Evelyn watched Rafe add more meat to the grill. Why did she have to open her big mouth and mention Danny? Just as she and Rafe were learning to grow comfortable with each other again. Evelyn sighed and realized that sooner or later, they would have to clear the air about Danny. Might as well get it over with now.  
  
"Rafe," she began, "about Danny . . ."  
  
The pilot immediately interrupted. "I know what you're thinking, Evelyn. But you don't have to worry. I've finally realized that my proposal was a big mistake. And I also . . ."  
  
Evelyn heaved an exasperated sigh. "Look Rafe, may I finish . . ."  
  
". . . realize that I have some unresolved feelings about . . ." Rafe continued.  
  
"For heaven's sake, Rafe McCawley! Will you please let me finish talking for once in your life?"  
  
* * * *   
  
Evelyn's outburst echoed along the beach. Her face flushed pink with embarrassment. Rafe had to admit that he shared a little of that embarrassment, himself.  
  
He opened his mouth to speak. Only a soft, "Sorry," came out of his mouth.  
  
"No, I'm sorry," Evelyn quickly apologized. "I didn't mean to yell at you like that. I know you meant well. It's just that . . ."  
  
Rafe took a deep breath and finished for her. "I talk too much. I know and I'm sorry."  
  
"No Rafe." Evelyn shook her head. "It's not . . . well, you can be a little overbearing at times. But that's you. And I wouldn't have it any other way. I just . . ." She sighed. "Just let me get this off my chest, first."  
  
Rafe riveted his eyes on the meat cooking on the grill. "Sure. Okay."  
  
A pause followed before Evelyn continued. "When Danny first came to me with news of your death, I knew, you see. I knew even before he could open his mouth. It was . . . well, everything just went dark. I had trouble eating. Became obsessed with my work. I barely hung around the other girls during my off-duty."  
  
"Red told me that you used to cry every night," Rafe added softly.  
  
Evelyn stared at him questioningly. "How did Red find out?"  
  
"Betty. Before she died, I reckon."  
  
A somber moment followed. Then, "Oh." Evelyn pointed at the grill. "I think you need to turn the meat over, Rafe."  
  
"Oh yeah. Thanks." Using a pronged fork, Rafe turned over the beef patty and hot dog. "You were talking about after . . . I mean, after I was reported dead."  
  
Evelyn nodded. "Yeah." Then she revealed her life during the next three months after she learned about Rafe's death. Those miserable months during the late summer of '41. And how she encountered Danny at the movies, one afternoon in mid-October. "It didn't take long for us to get comfortable with each other." Rafe made an effort not to wince. "We mainly talked about you, of course. Our memories of you. Barbara, Betty, Red and Billy saw us talking inside the Black Cat Cafe. And when the girls commented on it later, they convinced me that I should move on." A haunted look crept into Evelyn's dark eyes. "What I didn't realize at the time was that I wasn't ready to move on. At least, not yet."  
  
A turmoil of emotions - embarrassment, sadness, anger, and jealousy threatened to overwhelm Rafe. "When did you . . ." He could barely make himself ask this next question. "When did you and Danny. . .?"  
  
Evelyn's face turned even pinker. "I . . . maybe we shouldn't talk about this," she hastily replied.  
  
"No! I . . . No, go ahead. I mean, it must have happened some time." It seemed to Rafe as if a hand had reached inside his chest and squeezed his heart.  
  
A sigh left Evelyn's lips. Her eyes focused on the six figures splashing about in the water. "A few after we first saw each other. Danny took me for a plane ride over Wakikki Beach. And later . . ." She broke off, as her face became even redder. "Never mind."  
  
Rafe found his heart rate beating even faster. "I bet it must have been a very romantic moment," he commented in a caustic voice. He wanted to shrink away. Die. Rail against the gods. Hell, something. Most of all, he wanted to beat his best friend to a bloody pulp. Until he remembered that Danny was dead and just remembering that little fact produced a wave of sadness inside him.  
  
He glanced at Evelyn and noticed that her body had stiffened. "God! I'm sorry, Ev. I didn't mean . . ."  
  
"Of course you did," Evelyn quietly shot back. "Not that I blame you, considering what happened. What can I say, Rafe? I was lonely, depressed. And I thought you were dead. Gone. But after what happened in the hangar, I realized that Danny and I were moving too fast. So, I tried to break it off."  
  
"Why . . . why didn't you?"  
  
Evelyn heaved another sigh. "Oh Rafe! I tried. I really did. The day after our plane ride. I knew immediately that we were moving too fast. Only . . ." Her eyes grew wistful. "When I saw the look on his face at that moment, I realized I couldn't do it. He seemed so desperately in love. I think he would have fallen apart if I had broken it off with him. Don't forget Rafe, he took your death just as hard as I did. Maybe even harder. But it wouldn't have worked in the end. We started dating for the wrong reason. I would have eventually broken up with Danny. Only I found out I was pregnant. And you had suddenly returned from the dead." Her voice dropped to a whisper.  
  
Rafe lowered his head and murmured. "I guess everything just went downhill after that."  
  
Shaking her head, Evelyn replied, "I'm sorry, Rafe. I thought this would be easy, but it's not. I'm so confused right now. A part of me is so angry right now. Angry that you had volunteered for the RAF. That I'm not carrying your child. And I feel so guilty about Danny. I can't even mourn him the same way I had mourned over you. And it's not fair! It's not fair that a sweet and wonderful man like him had died before he had the chance to meet a woman who could have loved him unconditionally. The same way I love you."  
  
Evelyn's rant left Rafe's speechless. Had he heard right? Did Evelyn just said that she loved . . .?  
  
"Uh, Rafe?" Her voice cut into his thoughts. He saw Evelyn wipe tears from her eyes. "Shouldn't the barbeque be ready by now?"  
  
"Huh?" Rafe glanced at the grill. "Oh! Shit! I mean . . ." He nearly jumped out of his skin as he tended to the meat. "Hand me one of those clean plates near your . . ." Realizing that Evelyn was in no condition to reach for one of the plates near her foot, Rafe snatched one up, himself. "Do you want your bread grilled?"  
  
Evelyn shook her head. "There's no need."  
  
Rafe fixed her a hot dog and a hamburger, dripping with his dad's sauce. Then he handed the plate to Evelyn, before placing more hamburger patties and hot dogs on the grill. The latter took one bite of the hot dog, closed her eyes and emitted a groan of deep pleasure. "Oh my God, Rafe!" Evelyn exclaimed. "This sauce is absolutely divine!"  
  
"Thanks. I hope I did justice to the hot dog, too," he joked. Evelyn responded with a smile. Then she finished her hot dog in three bites and started on her hamburger. As much as Rafe enjoyed this relaxed moment, he felt the need to finish their conversation. He waited until she finished the hamburger. "Evelyn? About Danny . . ."  
  
Evelyn allowed the empty plate to slip from her lap and onto the blanket. Her dark eyes focused upon Rafe's face. "What about him?"  
  
"Uh . . ." God! This was difficult! "I just want you to know that I understand what you went through. Both you and Danny."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Rafe continued, "I'm . . . Look, I'm sorry for putting you two through so much. Jumping up to volunteer for the Eagle Squadron like that. God! What an idiot I was!"  
  
"You can't blame yourself what happened, Rafe," Evelyn said in a quiet voice. "You had volunteered before we even met." She paused. "Okay, I admit I was upset. But I was angry because . . ." She sighed. "I was angry that fate took you away from me so soon after we had met. We only had one month together. And when Danny and I heard that you were killed . . ." Tears formed in her eyes.  
  
Rafe tossed the empty platter on one of the blankets and knelt beside Evelyn. "Hey! Hey! C'mon Evelyn, don't cry!" He took hold of her hands. "Please don't cry. I'm still here. See?"  
  
"I know," Evelyn replied in a wavering voice. Rafe gently wiped away her tears. "I still find it a little hard thinking about that time."  
  
Stroking her hair, Rafe whispered, "It must have been a difficult time for you. Wasn't it?" Evelyn nodded. "Yeah. Red told me that it was also difficult for Danny." He sighed. "God! Now I know how both of you must have felt." He felt tears pricking his eyes. "Shit!"  
  
"Oh Rafe!" Evelyn held her arms out, inviting Rafe for a hug. An invitation he did not hesitate to accept. Teary-eyed, he hugged Evelyn, relishing the feel of her arms.  
  
Still crying, Rafe continued, "I miss him, Ev. God! I miss him so much. It's like my brother had died and took a part of me."  
  
"I know," Evelyn murmured. She began to stroke his hair. "I know."  
  
A comfortable silence settled between the couple. Feeling Evelyn's arms around him, Rafe felt a sense of belonging he had not felt in seventeen long months. At that moment, he realized that he never wanted to do without Evelyn again. He wanted her. Needed her. Not only to help him deal with Danny's death, but also because he loved her. Rafe could not imagine life without her.  
  
"Ev?" Rafe withdrew from her arms and wiped away his tears.  
  
Her dark eyes penetrated his own. Evelyn reached out and began to stroke his cheek. "Yes Rafe?"  
  
"Would you marry me?"  
  
A sudden intake of Evelyn's breath indicated her surprise. She stared at Rafe, wide-eyed. "Rafe!"  
  
He continued, "I'm not just asking out of some obligation to you or the baby. Or even to Danny's memory. Mind you, I'll love that baby like he or she was my own. It'll be like having Danny with me, again. But the main reason I want to marry is . . ." Rafe took a deep breath. "Hell! I love you, Evelyn! I've loved you from that first moment I laid eyes on you in New York. After this war ends, all I want for us is to spend the rest of our lives together. So, will you marry me?"  
  
Tears streamed from Evelyn's eyes. A radiant smile lit up her face. At that moment, Rafe knew he had won her back. "Yes," she whispered. "Yes, I'll marry you!" Defying the laws of gravity, she managed to throw herself into Rafe's arms. A grunt escaped his lips. "Oh, I love you so much!"  
  
"I love you too, honey!" Rafe maintained a tight hug. "Uh, Evelyn?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Sorry about the lack of an engagement ring. It's back at the barracks." Rafe withdrew from Evelyn and peered at her. "Would a kiss be sufficient for now?"  
  
Another smile touched Evelyn's lips. "More than sufficient," she murmured. Then she leaned forward and planted a light kiss on Rafe's lips.  
  
He blinked. "Is that it?"  
  
Evelyn let out a surprised, "Huh?"  
  
"You call that a kiss?" Rafe smiled. "I reckon I can do better." Despite both of them being on their knees, Rafe drew Evelyn into his arms and kissed her. Deeply. It became a deep kiss, the moment she opened her mouth and allowed Rafe's tongue to meet hers.  
  
"Hey!" a voice cried out. "Are you two going to kiss all day? Because I think these burgers have been cooking a tad too long." Rafe and Evelyn reluctantly parted lips, glanced up and found a wet Barbara standing above them. Along with the others.   
  
Rafe rose to his feet, before helping Evelyn to hers. "Sorry about that. We, uh . . ."  
  
"You two have some news for us?" Red asked. A smile lit up his face.  
  
Rafe smiled back. It was his first, genuine, from-the-gut smile that had formed on his lips in a long time. "Evelyn and I are getting married."  
  
Cries of joy and congratulations greeted the couple. Martha and Arnie appeared. The former demanded to know what was going on. Sandra told her. "That's swell," Martha replied in her usual dry tone. "Now is someone going to do something about our food before it burns?"  
  
Rafe uttered a curse, ignoring the horrified look on Sandra's face. He raced toward the grill. "Everything's okay. It's not burned. I just need to get more burgers and hot dogs."  
  
"It's in the fridge," Evelyn replied. "I'll help you get them. Barbara, could you . . .?"  
  
The blond woman shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Okay, everyone! Line up for the grub!"  
  
The others scrambled for their barbeque. Rafe and Evelyn linked arms and started back toward the bungalow. "So," Rafe said, "when do you want to get married?"  
  
"How about the next weekend you're free?" Evelyn suggested. "We can spend our honeymoon at that motor court you had stayed at, when you first arrived in Hawaii."  
  
"Why not the bungalow?"  
  
Evelyn shot back, "With three other women?"  
  
"They can stay at the motor court," Rafe explained. "Or find some quarters at the naval base."  
  
"Tell that to Barbara." Evelyn's head rested on Rafe's shoulders. It felt good. "Rafe?"  
  
"Hmmmm?"  
  
"About the baby . . ."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Rafe heard a deep intake of breath from Evelyn's mouth. "If it's a boy, why don't we name him after Danny?"  
  
Daniel Walker McCawley. The sound of that name warmed Rafe's heart. "I like that," he said. "A lot. And if the baby is a girl . . ."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"How about Danielle?"  
  
A quiet pause followed. Evelyn patted Rafe's arm. "That's a matter I think we need to discuss some other time."  
  
In other words, no. Rafe, however, also had other plans for the baby. "Of course, whether the baby is a boy or girl, he or she is gonna be a pilot. Like his daddy. Hell, like both of his daddies. Or hers."  
  
"Whatever you say, Rafe," Evelyn replied, her voice radiating warmth. "Whatever you say."  
  
  
THE END 


End file.
